Chair of the Board of Trustees

TWR works through its enthusiastic and resourceful volunteers to engage with refugees and asylum seekers, to find ways to work with them to ease the transition from new arrivals to integrated members of our society. Their needs are, of course, as varied as the people themselves but all need help with finding their way around the local area; negotiating various services and agencies, and learning English. 

TWR also coordinates events where refugee families and asylum seekers can meet each other and discuss common problems and their solutions. There are also opportunities for them to gain new skills such as cycling, gardening and catering qualifications. Being effective in supporting refugees and asylum seekers does present many challenges, but TWR provides training and support to volunteers as they bring their skills and energy to this task.  

Chair of the Board of Trustees 

We are currently seeking a new Chair for TWRs Board of Trustees, to provide leadership as we continue to grow. We are looking for someone to bring a fresh, dynamic perspective to our strategic plans, including our future fundraising aspirations. 

We are particularly keen to hear from individuals with a migrant background or with a background in supporting refugees and asylum seekers. We encourage applicants from all genders, backgrounds and communities and particularly from under-represented groups to diversify our current board.  

The essential tasks of the Chair will be: 

• to hold the Board of Trustees to account for its charitable mission and vision, providing inclusive leadership, and ensuring that each trustee fulfils their duties and responsibilities for the effective governance of the charity 
• to ensure that the Board of Trustees operates within its charitable objectives and provides a clear strategic direction to maximise its impact for its beneficiaries  
• to develop the knowledge and capability of the Board of Trustees, encouraging positive change where appropriate, addressing and resolving any conflicts 
• to annually appraise the performance of the Trustees and the Board, ensure that it incorporates the right balance of skills, knowledge and experience needed to govern 
• to oversee the induction process for introducing new trustees to the board 
• to ensure that Trustees are fully engaged and that decisions are taken in the best, long-term interests of the charity  
• to ensure that the Board fulfils its duties to ensure sound financial health of the charity, with systems in place to ensure financial accountability 
• to lead on chairing effective and efficient meetings of the Board of Trustees, determining the order of the agenda, and ensuring that the board receives accurate, timely and clear information 
• to bring impartiality and objectivity to the decision making process, issuing deadlines and delegating action points as necessary, keeping track of the contribution of individual trustees  
• to ensure that meetings are well planned, meaningful and reflect the responsibilities of trustees 
• to ensure that the Board of Trustees regularly reviews major risks and associated opportunities, taking advantage of opportunities and managing / mitigating risks  
• to maintain an open and supportive relationship between the Board of Trustees and its employees, and to ensure that they are held to account for achieving agreed strategic objectives via their line managers 
• to take urgent action (but not decision-making unless authorised) between board meetings when it isn’t possible or practical to hold a meeting. 
• to chair the Annual General Meeting (AGM)  
• to act as an ambassador and public face for the charity, in partnership with the charity manager, including networking on behalf of the charity at external functions, meetings and events 

Location: Taunton, Somerset (and online)  

Time commitment: Board Meetings 10 times a year, with a monthly time commitment of 8 hours approx. (It is not possible exactly to define the total time commitment as this will vary, but experience suggests approximately one day per week). 

Remuneration The role of Chair is not accompanied by any financial remuneration 

How to apply:  

Please send your CV and a covering letter to our Administrator by the 30th September 2023.